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Re: edible street trees



Cyndi Norman wrote:

>    Date: Fri, 9 Jan 1998 20:59:55 -0800
>    From: "Michael D. Barclay" <opga1@dsp.net>
>
>    Dear Planters,
>    RE: Cyndi's choice for "edible" Oakland Street trees.
>
> Except for the almond, none of these were my choices.  In fact, most of
> them I wouldn't even consider.
>
>    1) Umbellularia callifornica would grow much too large aND KEEP THE AREA
>    beneath it filthy with sooty mold.  Besides the leaves taste awful!  If
>    you want Bay Leaves choose Laurus 'Saratoga'--a perfect replacement.  Or
>    choose Laurus nobilis and cultivate patience.
>
> I have a saratoga already but want to keep it in a container because I
> don't want to waste a tree space with a plant that will provide me with
> more than enough of its edible leaves when kept small.  I have no interest
> in umbellularia.
>
>    2) No almond of any kind will fruit where Cyndi lives.  They require a
>    colder winter and much, much hotter summer.
>
> Are you sure?  Sunset Garden book says almonds will fruit okay in zone 16,
> but not zone 17.  I'm in 16.  I get more heat than most of Berkeley and
> Oakland.
>
>    3) A standard Eureka lemon or Bearss's Seedless Lime would do fine but
>    neither are fast.
>
> Got 2 lemons already, thanks.
>
>    4) Feijoa sellowiana is a superb choice but messy. However both flowers and
>    fruits are edible.  You must choose a grafted clone for fruit and two
>    different clones are better'n one.
>
> The problem with pineapple guava is that I dislike the fruit.
>
>    5) All citrus are slow in the conditions you offer.  Speedy are plums,
>    (messy), apples, pears.
>
> Got 2 apple trees already, and they have to be watered anyway.  I love
> pears but my SO hates them.  I'm thinking of (was it Katherine's?) the
> suggestion for a plum tree but am concerned about the mess.  My dad/stepmom
> have one and it's pretty messy.  Not sure about the water requirements.
>
>    6) My personal recommendation would be two different apricots-easy in your
>    area, clean, delicious, relatively fast - read the HP Book of Fruits and
>    Nuts.  Then try again.  You first choices will lead to permanent
>    unhappiness!
>
> Why HP?  WOuldn't I be better off with a book that understands Calif
> climate?  I've already gone through the Sunset Fruit and Nut book, the
> Manual of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit, and about half a dozen other
> books on fruits and nuts from the library.
>
> Apricots would be fine; I love them.  But they take water, right?  You know
> I"m only interested in trees I don't have to water after the first year,
> right?
>
> I'm surprised no one has mentioned persimmons.  It doesn't need watering,
> it's the right size, it's pretty, and the fruit isn't messy (unless you
> drop it).  There's one over a parking area at my dad's house on the
> penisula.  I orginally rejected it cause I thought I'd just get fruit from
> him, but that didn't work so maybe I will consider a permission tree (I'd
> prefer the non-astringent kind...maybe).
>
> I was actually kind of hoping people could suggest unusual mediteranian
> fruit or nut trees.  There must be some edible trees beyond bay, olives,
> and almonds.  If I could shape a pomegrante into a tree, I'd do that (I'm
> already going to put in a bush).
>
> Cyndi
>
> --
> _______________________________________________________________________________
> "There's nothing wrong with me.  Maybe there's                     Cyndi Norman
> something wrong with the universe." (ST:TNG)                   cnorman@best.com
> __________________________________________________ http://www.best.com/~cnorman

  Re. edible street trees
Here in Malta( island in the middle of the mediterrean) we have a four hundred year
old street lined with white mulberry trees. They are about 12-15 feet high ,do not
require any watering and obviously very hardy .As for the pomegrate, it is also
very hardy, does not need any watering once established and some people do like the
abundant fruit. The fruit is ripe around November but it does stain one's hands
when you eat it. It does not make any mess apart from leaf fall as it is not
evergreen. The tree trunk has a lovely garneled appearance.
Hope this is helpful.

Doreen
Malta
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